Allograft Stem Cell Therapy

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Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the unique potential of regeneration and differentiation into different types of cells. They act like a repair system replacing cells and tissue lost due to injury or disease. With increasing age however, there is a reduction in the number of available stem cells. Stem Cell Therapy is aimed at increasing the availability of stem cells at areas of tissue damage to enhance healing and regeneration.

In orthopedics, stem cells are used to treat degenerative conditions of the shoulders, knees, hips, and spine such as arthritis. It is also recommended for the treatment of soft tissue (muscle, ligaments and tendons) as well as bone-related injuries. Stem cells have anti-inflammatory properties and can help regulate the immune system response.

Stem cells may be obtained from various sources such as bone marrow, fat, blood, umbilical cord and embryonal tissue. Allograft stem cells are obtained from a donor or tissue bank. Vertebral bodies of deceased donors have a high concentration of stem cells and are ideal for allograft stem cell therapy.

Your doctor will first clean and numb the area to be treated. Under the guidance of special X-rays, the stem cell preparation will be injected into the diseased region. The whole procedure usually takes less than an hour and you will return home the same day of the procedure.

Potential risks of allograft stem cell therapy include contamination of the stem cell preparation as well as infection and tissue damage associated with any injection procedure. Rarely, an immune reaction may occur due to the injected stem cells.